While I sympathize with Jill Manges in this incident, personally and honestly, I feel like it is completely out of my league to speak for her, about her, or on behalf of her. Same with being on the side of the university. I do not know anything about mental disorders, I only know what I have been told about the Manges case, mostly from the side of Manges, and as Alcoff would say, it's very hard and often times very problematic to speak for others.
I do feel that recognition is very important on this issue. As I stated before, I know very little to nothing about mental disorders, esp. PTSD. I feel like most of America is in the same boat, and that recognition of the lives of those living with PTSD is very much needed. By recognizing the complications of PTSD, how people start having PTSD, ways to deal with it, etc. we as a society and as an educational institution can then better handle these types of situations. Much recognition is needed. Many people, schools, universities, etc are very nervous about mental illnesses since events like Virginia Tech, Columbine, and the various other school shootings. Who is at fault for this nervousness? Is it the fault of the close-minded judicial affairs members, the result of society as a whole, the result of the lack of knowledge and recognition, or all combined? I don't know. Personally, I feel it is a combination of all, but I don't know anything about this. I'm in that majority of people who would benefit from knowing more about PTSD.
This is very hard for me. While in ways I understand both sides. I want to be on Mange's side, I want to believe that the way the university handled this is wrong, but again, I don't know. I really do not like this question we are presented with. I do not like the fact that we are to speak for or about someone most of us don't know personally, a case most of us only know what the media is discussing, and an issue most of us know very little about. Makes us all non-credible sources and actually makes our responses irrelevant. None of us have a PHD or even a degree in mental illnesses, none of us can dissect this subject enough to say who is and who is not right. Sure, the situation maybe could have been handled differently, but as much as I want to be on Mange's side, is as disappointed as I am in the way she has handled this. I kind of feel like others are being asked to fight a battle in which she gave up on. I understand her reasons for signing the documents in which she signed, but I feel like if she truly felt the university was wrong, if she truly wanted to fight this, she would have done such and not have signed documents agreeing with the university. I feel like, why should we fight a battle she gave up on? Again, I understand her reasoning for this, but I have to look at this from a personal level, and sure, I'm not in the situation, but I feel like if I were I would definitely fight the university until the end and care more about the injustice I feel I was receiving from the university than the money in the situation. Making things right is more important than money to me (and yes, money is an issue for me and my family, I don't have $4000 per semester to throw at EIU).
Maybe this will be upsetting to some people? Sorry, I don't mean it to be, I am only expressing my uncomfort with this situation and this assignment. Again, I am not taking any side in this situation, I am deciding to stay in the middle until I get the information I need to make an educational decision on this issue.
As for what Emma Goldman would do? Again, I don't know. I don't think I, or anyone else can say what someone would do after reading some articles in which a person wrote. Every situation is different for every person. Maybe she would start a huge rally to help Manges, or maybe she would decide she does not need to get involved. Ask Emma if you want to know what she would do(though, if you can figure out how to do that please let me know!), don't ask someone who doesn't even know Emma even on a nearly aqquaintence level.
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Just for claification sake:
I did not ask you to speak for anyone. I asked you to asses the political situation of a potential grievence. I also asked you to perspective take...as though you were a social movement needing to act on this case. What would you do? If you took the assignment another way or did not engage the questions in this fashion, you really did accomplish what I asked.
And just another thought:
On the ground, social movements act in public much of the time without the full story and often, advocate for other (which does not mean that you speak for other). The distinction is very important.
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